The '''Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church''' (or {{lang-ru|Российская православная автономная церковь}}, before 1998 - '''Free Russian Orthodox Church''', {{lang-ru|Российская православная свободная церковь}}, the Moscow Patriarchate also has the designation '''Suzdal schism''', {{lang-ru|Суздальский раскол}}) is one of several [[True Orthodox|"True" Orthodox Churches ]] churches in Russia, which has roots in the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, ]] and claims to be a continuation of the [[Catacomb Church of Russia]]. Its current primate is Metropolitan Theodore (Gineyevsky) of Sudzal and Vladimir (since 2012). It is not in communion with any of the recognized Orthodox Churches.

==The Establishment Fracturing of the FROC and establishment of ROAC==As the number of parishes and bishops of the FROC increased in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflicts among them likewise increased, as well as conflicts between the leaders of the Synod of ROCOR and the bishops in Russia. Bishops of the "Free Russian Orthodox Church"==, who were under the jurisdiction of ROCOR, i.e., [[Archbishop]] Lazar and Bishop Valentine, were ultimately removed from their [[see]]s. They chose to separate from ROCOR administratively and form an autonomous, self-governing Church, citing as their canonical basis [[Ukaz No. 362]] of St. [[Patriarch]] [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]] of [[November 20]], 1920. They also consecrated three bishops for the Russian church, Theodore, Seraphim, and Agafangel.

At the end of World War IIA year later, many parts after unsuccessful attempts to find an acceptable means of self-government for the catacomb Church reconciled with the Moscow PatriarchateRussian parishes, on [[February 11]]/24, due to the election of a new Patriarch (Alexei I)1995, and to a lessening of the level Synod of persecution on the part ROCOR suspended five bishops of the SovietsFROC at one time. By the 1980's, what The result was left of the catacomb Church no longer had any hierarchy of its own, and was very small and scattered. Due to a desire to support these people, [[ROCOR]] decided to consecrate a secret [[bishopschism]] for between the catacomb Church in 1982 -- Bishop Lazar (Zhurbenko). This was the first step towards the establishment Synod of ROCOR [[parish]]es inside Russia -- and a policy that was controversial even at large portion of the time, and which ROCOR later came to regret. These parishes came to be known as the "Free Russian Orthodox Church", or FROC.

==The Fracturing of the FROC, and the Establishment of ROAC== As the number of parishes and bishops of the FROC increased in the 90's after the collapse of the Soviet Union, conflicts among them likewise increased, as well as conflicts between the leaders of the [[Holy Synod|Synod]] of ROCOR and the bishops in Russia. Bishops of the Free Russian Orthodox Church, who were under the jurisdiction of ROCOR, i.e. [[Archbishop]] Lazar and Bishop Valentin, were ultimately removed from their [[See]]s. They chose to separate from ROCOR administratively and form an autonomous, self-governing Church, citing as their canonical basis [[Ukaz No. 362]] of St. [[Patriarch]] [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]] of [[November 20]], 1920. They also consecrated three bishops for the Russian Church: Theodore, Seraphim, and Agafangel. A year later, after unsuccessful attempts to find an acceptable means of self-government for the Russian parishes, on [[February 11]]/24, 1995, the Synod of ROCOR suspended five Bishops of the Russian Church at one time. The result was a schism between the Synod of ROCOR and the Church of Russia.  In 1995, Archbishop Lazarus, with Bishops Benjamin and Agafangel, came back to ROCOR, while three bishops, with Archbishop Valentin at the head, remained in schism. In May 1995 the long-term secretary of the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, the famous Church historian and canonist, Right Reverend Bishop Gregory (Grabbe), visited Suzdal. He approved the decisions of the Russian bishops to withdraw from administrative subordination to the foreign Synod (ROCOR), just before he passed away. Some attributed this to his age, while others claimed this was due to his belief that they were following the "true" historical course of ROCOR. In October 1998 the "Free Russian Orthodox Church" (FROC) headed by Valentine was re-registered under the name of the "''Russian Orthodox (Autonomous) Church" '' (ROAC). Presently the [[episcopate ]] of ROAC consists of twelve bishopswith over 300 parishes worldwide. The head of the Church church was elevated to the rank of [[Metropolitan]] in March 2001.  ==ROCOR Chief Hierarchs==* Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) (1920 – 1936)* Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky) ( 1936 – 1964)* Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) ( 1964 – 1985)* Metropolitan Vitaly (Ustinov). (1986 – 2001)* Metropolitan Laurus (Skurla). (2001 - Present) ==ROAC Chief Hierarch==* Metropolitan Valentine of Vladimir and Sudzal ( 1990 – present)

*Christ the Savior Orthodox Parish , Fort Wayne, Indiana - Fr. Isaac Henke*St. Sophia Orthodox Parish, Hobart, Indiana - Dn. Michael McCombs*[http://www.stathanasiosroacusa.org/SaintPeter/htdocs St.net Saint Athanasios Peter the Great Aleut Orthodox Parish], San AngeloCovington, TX Louisiana - Fr. Elias Greer, Chancellor to Bishop AndreiMark Templet*Saint Andrew the First Called Orthodox Parish, Fredericksburg, VA Virginia - Archpriest Fotios Roseboro

==Sourcesand external links== ===External Links===*[http://www.rpac.ru/ Official Russian website]*[http://www.roacusa.org/ Official American Diocese website]*[http://www.roacusa.org/ABTheoRespEng.html Archbishop Theodore of Borisovskoye and Otradna, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC), Responds to Various Questions from the Faithful]*[http://www.roacusa.org/25.html The History of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church]

== External Links ==*[http[Category://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/voicesofreason.htm Voices of Reason: Responses to schismatics who have left ROCOR, and to those attempting to cause a new schismOld Calendarist Jurisdictions]]*[http[Category://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/voicesofreason_old.htm Older Voices of Reason Articles, including responses to Vladimir Moss, and posts regarding "Metropolitan" Valentine of SuzdalJurisdictions]]

 [[Categoryfr:JurisdictionsÉglise orthodoxe russe autonome]]